Databricks buys spreadsheet startup Row Zero and says more deals are coming
The $190 billion data company wants its AI agent to work inside a familiar spreadsheet, and it isn't done shopping.
The 30-second version
The details
- Row Zero makes a cloud spreadsheet that handles more than a million live rows. It was founded by former AWS and Tableau engineers.
- Terms weren't disclosed. Row Zero raised $10M at about a $40M valuation in 2025, according to PitchBook.
- Databricks will pair it with Genie, its AI agent that answers data questions in plain language.
- It is Databricks' fifth acquisition this year. The company is valued at $190B, with a $7B annual revenue run rate.
Why it matters
Spreadsheets are still where most business analysis happens. Putting AI agents and governed company data inside one keeps analysts from exporting sensitive data into loose files, and it shows how data platforms plan to own the everyday tools.
The full story
Databricks has acquired Row Zero, a startup that makes a spreadsheet built for very large datasets. The companies didn't disclose the price.
What Row Zero does
Row Zero is a cloud spreadsheet that can handle more than a million live rows, far beyond what typical spreadsheet tools manage comfortably. Former AWS and Tableau engineers founded it. According to PitchBook, it raised $10 million in 2025 at a valuation of about $40 million.
The plan
Databricks will connect Row Zero to Genie, its AI agent that lets people ask questions about company data in plain language. The idea is that analysts can work with data in a familiar spreadsheet while it stays inside Databricks' secure environment, instead of being exported into files that get passed around.
CEO Ali Ghodsi described spreadsheets as an interface every business analyst loves, and said combining business intelligence, agents and spreadsheets makes sense.
On a buying spree
Row Zero is the latest in a string of 2026 deals for Databricks:
- March: Quotient AI (training AI agents) and SiftD.ai (interactive notebooks)
- June: Panther (AI security operations)
- August: Electric (a lightweight Postgres database for running agents locally)
Ghodsi said the company plans to make many more acquisitions like this. Databricks was valued at $190 billion in an August funding round and reports a $7 billion annualized revenue run rate.
What's next
With a big war chest and a clear focus on agents, expect Databricks to keep buying small teams that make its platform easier to use.
Quick questions
What is Row Zero?
A cloud spreadsheet built for very large datasets, able to handle more than a million live rows. Former AWS and Tableau engineers founded it.
How much did Databricks pay?
The price wasn't disclosed. According to PitchBook, Row Zero raised $10 million at about a $40 million valuation in 2025.
Why does Databricks want a spreadsheet?
It plans to connect Row Zero to Genie, its AI data agent, so analysts can work in a familiar spreadsheet while the data stays inside Databricks' secure environment.
Source: TechCrunch
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